Gun control



S. McGLTHOMPSON.

GUN CONTROL. APPLICATION FILED APB-22, 1918.

Patented June 8, 1920.

mwtoz 'Jcattufl- 'h ompson/ U ITE sures. PATENT m scoTT ivieennnn Tr oivrrson; OFT-HE UnI nD s ATEs NAVY;

To all tuhbm it may concern:

Be'it knownthat. I, ScoTT a citizen of the-United States, an officer in the United StatesNavy, have invented fication hereinafter to be described.

certain new and useful Improvements in Gun Controls, of whichthefollowing is a specification;

My invention relates to improvements in gun controls, andit consists in the constructions, combinations and arrangements herein described and claimed. a

H An object of my invention is to provide a device for controlling a gun and especially one mounted on the deck of a vessel,

to keep the gunina normally vhorizontal position, or in any other predetermined position, regardless of the roll of the vessel.

Anotherobjectof the invention is toprovide a devicev for the purpose described, consisting of an electrically, operated mechanism arranged tobe mounted upon a gun and. adapted to control certain motor operated devices for elevating and depressing the gun; to keep the gun trained on the target'regardless of the roll of the vessel.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing 4 in which 30 Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gun showing one On,

Fig- 9 a control showing theposition of the parts when the gun moves to elevated position, and 1 a I Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of a modi- In carrying out my invention I provide a batten 1 which is-arrangedto be mounted upon agun 2 in any suitable manner-and 1n actual practicewwill "preferablybe mounted adjacent to the usual telescope sights. In Fig. 1 the batten 1 is shown mounted on the gun at the side simply to show the, relationship of the gunjcontrol to the gun,

and no attempt to showthesight referred to has been made. e I

Mounted upon the batten 1 is a U-tube 3 which is made of-glasslor some vother sub; stantial dielectric material. -.A. bridge piece aiforms the continuation of the tube at the top and closes theends. Couplings 5 hold 5; e b e Pie a: i ir ee e? fil ejqint M. THOMPSON,

way of applying the invenis a sectional view of the gun.

GUN coNTiaoL.

{Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 8, 1920, a bucautn. filed April 22, 1913. Serial No. 230,159.

between-the bridge piece and the U-tube are not intendedto be air-tight, nor is the space above the mercury 6 in the U-tube 3 intended to'contain a vacuum. In the operation of thefdevice it is necessary that the mercury column in each of the legs of the tube be free to move up and down according to the rolling of the vessel 7 upon which the gun 2 is mounted.

Fixed in theleft leg of the U-tube 3 and 7 just below the coupling 5 is a contact 8 which is connected through a wire 9 to one terminal of a battery or other source of electrleal energy 10. A movable contact 11 floats in the mercury 6 beneath the fixed a of the electro-magnet is connected through a wire 15 to the other terminal of the bat tery 10 and when the float. '11 is in engagement with the contact 8 a current flows from the battery 10 through the connections just described, energizing theelectro-magnet 14: and normally attracting a pivoted armature 1.6. a l i A11 expansion spring-17 adapted to 7' i press the armature 16 into engagement with a "fixed contact 18; forming one terminal of a circuit 19 whichembraces the motor M and; generator G. The other terminal of the circuit is connected to the armature 16 as shown in Fig. 2, and when the GlBCtI'Or.

magnet 14 is deenerg'ized as in the instance a when the ship rolls to oneside or the other, thearmature 16 is madeto engage the contact 18 and close thelmotor circuit, whereupon the gun2 is depressed or elevated to counteract the roll of the ship, and again assume the position to which it was for:

Imerly trained. a

. One way of depressing the gun, 2 as just described consists of fixing a gearsegment 20 'tothe gun and providing a p1nion2l onthe end ofthe motor shaft M for rotating the segment infa counter-clockwise direction-to depress the gun. Before proceeding with the description, it must be understood that there is a duplicate mechanism on the other side of the gun to that shown in Fig. 1. The other mechanism is not shown in the drawing but is so arranged that it will elevate the gun. In order to. do this, the duplicate U,-tube 3 on. the; other side will be arranged exactly the reverse of what is shown in Fig. 2, that isto say, the float 11 and contact 8 will be in the other leg of the 'U-tube so that whenthe vessel rolls toward the left instead of toward the right'as indicatedby the arrow a in Fig. 1, the circuit of the elevating motor on the other side will be completed inprecisely the same manner as was just explained above. It is thought unnecessary, however, to go-into detail,either as regards the description of the duplicate mechanism or the illustration thereof, since the operation'of the automatic gun control can be fully understood when the manner of depressing the gun to counteract. the roll of the vessel toward the right is fully explained i In orderto compensate for the expansion of the mercury 6 in the U-tube 3 and tooflset the inaccurateoperation of the device as a consequence, a compensator is attached to the bottom ofthe U-tube as shown in Fig: 2. The compensator consists of a cylinder 22 in communication with the 'U'-tube, and has a piston 23 which is normally held in position by a light coil spring24: between the bottom of the piston and the bottom of the cylinder. Auxiliary cylinders 25 at the sides have pistons-26 which'rest on short; columns of mercury 271 Suitably arranged levers;28 pivoted in the partition between the various cylinders; rest on top of the pistons 26 and in notches 29 of the piston 23 respectively: When the expansion of the mercury begins to take place, the columns 27 will force the pistons 26 upwardly and consequently force the piston 23'and the cylinder 22 downwardly againstthe tension of the light coil'spring 24, when a corresponding quantity ofthe mercury 6 in the U-tube 3 will flow intothe cylinder 22 on top of'the piston 23 and thus compensate for the expansion of the mercury 6' in the tube 3. The level of the mercury in'the tube 3 is thus kept in a substantially normal plane.

By way of adjustment ofthe batten 1 on the-gun 2 a simple arrangement is shown in Fig. 1, which consists-of a pivot. bolt 30 and athumb screw 31 threaded-on the end of a stud in an arcuate slot 32. The need for a means of adjustment for the batten 1 will be understood by those practised in using naval guns, Instances often occur where the gun 2 will be elevated 01' trained on a distant target. At such a time the gun will not be in a true horizontal plane andconse .tacts in the U-tube will serve to 'cated insideof the- U-tube3 and is adapted extremity of the wireis connected to the position. Now when the vessel rolls the operation will be just the'Isame as formerly andthe motor devices controlled by the conkeep the gun trained on the target. j

A fluid'other than mercury may be used to flll the U -tube 3g- Such a fluid may be a non-conductor of electricity and when'such V a fluid is usedthe arrangement will be somewhat onthe order-as illustrated in Fig. 3. Here a pivoted bell crank or lever-33 'i's loto normally engage thecontact"8- which in e the present-instance is almost fl'ush with the wall ofthe U-tube. The float 1 1 has; a fine wire 34: attached to the lower end, and the fixed' contact 12-. The wire 34 is nottaut 7 but has a small spiral or 0011* near the-float 11 so. that the wiremay properly lengthen or shorten, or-in: any event, permit freedom of movement ofthefloat 11. 7 The operation-"of the automatic-gun control, willbe fully understoodfrom' theforee going description, when taken: in connection with the followingadditional explanation.

It is now assumed that the gun 2 is in a true horizontal'positi'on and base. duplicate tr controlling-mechanism 'on the; other side. This mechanism'willhowever not becon sidered' and; themanner of depressing the gun to counteract the roll of the vessel? toward the right in Fig. 1, will be described. Should the vessel rol'l'toward' the right as indicated by-the full line arrow a, thebatten 1' and gun 2 will tend tomove to the position illustratedin Fig. 2 when the mercury column in the rightlegof the U-tube'3 will ascend and the mercury in the'left legwill consequently-descend. The float 11 and contact 8 are normally in engagement asshown in Fig. 1, and when this is the case, the 11 circuit from the battery 10 is completed through-the electro magnet 14 and the electro-magnet holds 1 the armature 16 against the tension ofjth'e spring 17. Now whenthe mercury column in the left leg of the U-tube 115 descends as just; stated, the contact 8-and float 11 will break. engagement and consequently break the circuit of the battery whereupon the armature 16' falls intoenigagement with the contact 18. Current from defect in view, it is contemplated to employ someother device which will respond more quickly. The wholesubstance of the present invention is, however, the arrangement of the automaticgun control and relates more: particularly to the U-tube' 3 with the movable contact therein. This is the basis of through by a gunner in. keeping the gun trained on'the target, are nowpractlcallyentirely eliminated and instead of moving his shoulders andhead three or four feet of the-claims.

and changing his position from squatting to standing while the vessel rolls rapidly, he needs only tomove his head andeyes perhaps a few inches.

While the construction and arrangement of the device as illustrated in the accompanying drawingfis that of a generally prefer-red form, changes may obviously modification and be. made without departing from'the spirit of the invention or the scope I claim e 1. The combination of an ordnance memher to be trained, a prime mover for shifting the position of said ordnance member, a

source of energy for ,said primemover,

. a conducting gravity actuated supply of energy from said source to said prime mover, andmeans for automatically compensating for physical chang s in said gravity actuated means.

2. The combination of an ordnance mem ber to be trained, a prime mover for shifting the position of said ordnance member, a source of energy for sald prime mover,

fluid gravity-actuated means for controlling the supply of energy from said source to said prime mover, and means for automatically compensating for expansions and contractions of said fluid means.

3. The combination of an ordnance mem-.

her to be trained, a prime mover'for shifting the position oi said ordnance-member, a'

source of energy for said prime mover, a

. fluid gravity-controlled electricity conducting medium, contactor means operatively with sald medium for controlllng associ ted the supply of electricity therethrough, and means for. compensating for changes in said medium, to obviate variation of operation of said contactor means. 4. In a. gun control, instrumentalities for controlling the operation of a prime mover by which the gunis actuated, comprising fluid influenced by gravity to maintain a normal plane, a die-electric container for said fluid,-operatively mounted to means for controlling the physical V move with the gun; contact making means 'operatively associated, lncluding contacts carried by the container and a contact mem ber supported by said fluid, and instrumentallties operatively associated with said container and fluid for compensating for physi cal changes in said fluid and thereby preventing changing of position of said normal plane. ,1 r

5. In a gun control,the combination with a motor circuit including a motor and a source ofelectrical energy, a batten adapted to be mounted on the gun, a U-tube mounted on the batten, contacts in one side leg and bottomof the U-tube respectively, a relay including an electro-magnet having the terminals connected to said contacts,

mercury in the U-tube extending into the legs, a floating contact in one side leg normally in engagement with the side contact when the batten is in a horizontal position, an armature included in the relay attracted by the eleotro-magnet when the side and floating contacts are in engagement, to keep the motor circuit open, and a spring bearing on the'armature toclose the motor circuit upon disengagement ofthefloating and side contacts when the battenmoves out of the horizontal position.

6. In a gun control, the combination of a motor circuit including a motor 7 and source of electrical energy, a relay including an electro-magnet and armature adapted to close the motor circuit, a batten adaptedto be mounted on a gun, a U-tube supported on the batten, contacts in one side leg and the bottom of the U-tube connected to the. terminals of the electro-magnet, mercury in the U-tube extending, into the legs, a float ing contact in one of the side legs, in nor mal engagement with the side contact when the batten is in the horizontal position, kee ing the electro-magnet,energized and t e armature attracted to keep the motor circuit open, and means in connection'with the U- tube compensating for the expansion of the mercury therein, said means including a cylinder with an outwardly movable piston, adapted to receive a portion of the mercury from the U-tube, and auxiliary mercury operated pistons having operating connection with said piston.

7. In a gun control, a batten adapted to t be mounted on a gun,'having an arcuate slot, a pivotal support and adjusting means in the arcuate slot, a U-tube moimted on the batten, a bridge piece :t'orminga continuation of theopen ends of the tube, couplings joinin the bridge piece to the legs of the V cylinder, auxiliary ylinders, a; piston in the main cylinder, a coil spring beneath the piston, pistons in the auxiliary cylinders;

expansible mercury colulnns beneath said 5 pistons, and lever connectlons between sa d pistons and the main piston to depress said piston in the main cylinder and-permit mer- 

